


Undertow

by Cori Lannam (corilannam)



Category: Aubrey-Maturin Series - Patrick O'Brian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-23
Updated: 2003-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-25 06:53:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1637558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/corilannam/pseuds/Cori%20Lannam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A moment that might have happened in the castle during Post Captain. A stocking stuffer for shalott.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Undertow

**Author's Note:**

> Written for shalott

 

 

"I cannot believe it, Stephen. I simply cannot believe it," Jack cried, wheeling about the front hall stark naked, arms outspread. "A castle in Spain, and all your own? Why for all love did you never mention it before, in all the time we've known each other?" 

"A castle cannot sew up a man's gut, nor beat off your creditors and their agents, nor even keep your fiddle in tune, so I had not found occasion to mention it," Stephen said, feeling unreasonably peevish on the subject. "Now get in the bath. The herbs will help your fever." 

"Goats, Stephen!" Jack laughed with delight, ignoring the still-steaming bath Stephen had devoted an hour to heating. "Goats in your hall. Convenient as you please if you want fresh milk - or perhaps a bit of supper, ha, ha!" 

"The bath, Jack. You are ill, and I will not have you wandering about in this drafty place with nothing but your skin between you and certain pneumonia." 

The threat did not seem to frighten Jack - nothing ever did, save bums and dear Sophie's mother - but at last he obeyed and sank into the wide marble tub. His head vanished beneath the water, then emerged with a tremendous splash and no dampening of Jack's spirits. 

"And this bath, Stephen! Half as big as the Med, I declare - perhaps even more than half. A man could swim in it." He caught hold of Stephen's hand, twining their fingers; his face shone with brazen glee and a tender shyness that would have undone a harder man than Stephen Maturin. "Two men could swim in it." 

"Could they, indeed?" Stephen replied mildly. "Why, I do not doubt that you are correct, my dear." 

"Come in and swim with me, dear Stephen." Jack gave a hopeful, forceful tug, as though he would pull Stephen in after him, will he or not, with not even a lifeline to save him. 

"You know that I cannot swim, Jack." 

"Stephen--" 

Stephen freed his hand and lay the back of it against Jack's brow. "Hush now, soul. You are delirious with fever," he said, though the skin under his hand was cool. 

 


End file.
